SSDeV German Locksport Group Description.

[reg]

There was some interest in how we do it in Germany, having the SSDeV and sportsgroups.
The SSDeV is a registered association, you can see an English explanation of what the club is about here.
The statutes were formed with legal issues in mind, so we always stress we never show break-in techniques, when we pick locks we always do so with consent of the owner of said lock and anyone breaking these rules will be kicked out of the club.

Each member that has no local group in his/her vicinity can set up their own. There are some rules of course:
first, see above
second, at least one meeting a month must be held in public (in a pub, a room in a university or school or wherever a room is available and publicly accessible)

If those conditions are met, the leader of the group is provided with some practising tools for people who come for the first time (consisting of hook, half-diamond, snake and tension tool). Then of course the leader of the group should have every neophyte sign the rules of the club (no illegal stuff, no boasting about, no showing to known criminals).

Then the new group will try to gain new members, for the practising tools are paid for with membership fees.

I guess that is about it - though of course a new group leader must at least be able to show the principles of picking to others, he need not be a picking genious, but still he/she should know what they are doing.

If any of the other SSDeV members in this forum knows more, please add to this thread.

Thanks,

reg

[vortex]

as soon as i go back to germany i am gonna join that, its sounds pretty interesting.

[mcm757207]

I wish they had lockpicking sport groups in the US

[reg]

depending on the size of the local group and the dedication of it's members, some groups even have their own key-cutting machines.

Some offer tool making workshops and of course there are always the overall workshops and training camps to which a member can go.

So there's always a knowledge transfer between the local groups as well.

Buying tools is easy, too: The club offers different makes of tools, most members only, but basic majestic sets are available for non-members as well. Members can get HPC and some German brands.

Cheers,

reg